Chapter 139
Episode 46: Crushing Defeat
“Excuse me…?”
Jin stared at Kidad with a bewildered expression.
“Are you seriously suggesting we test the advanced reflux magic on the people of Romp Village?”
“That’s right. Why the shocked look? On a day like this, no less. I’ve gotten my hands on Sujiel Hister’s grimoire, and you’ve been entrusted with the Book of Reflux. We’ve basically entrusted our lives to each other—our bond as master and disciple has never been stronger.”
Jin was too stunned to respond. When he remained silent for a while, Kidad nodded as if he understood.
“Ah, Huwell. Have you never killed anyone before? Not even during your mercenary days?”
Jin swallowed the curse rising in his throat and shook his head.
Advanced reflux magic.
From what he’d studied over the past ten days, it wasn’t just wizards who could be affected by reflux—it could be triggered in ordinary people too.
Unlike typical reflux triggers, this magic could cause fatal reflux with only the minuscule amount of mana naturally present in the human body.
And since Jin was only just beginning to master advanced reflux, he couldn’t even control its lethality. Kidad’s plan was to use the people of Romp as test subjects to calibrate it.
“That’s not it exactly, but I’m a bit taken aback.”
“Why?”
Kidad spun around sharply, his eyes darkening with anger.
“They’re just simple country folk. You want me to use them as guinea pigs just to achieve my magical breakthrough?”
“Hah! Huwell Hister, listen carefully!”
Kidad snapped, grabbing Jin’s shoulder.
“You mustn’t fear killing a few insignificant bugs. You were born with a gift from the heavens, a value far beyond theirs. It’s only natural that they become your nourishment!”
This was the first time Jin had ever seen Kidad so fired up.
Kidad huffed and continued.
“Do you know how I reached the rank of 9th star? I was a commoner, with no proper support. You have to become a monster, Huwell. Otherwise, you’ll never be the best.”
“Master…”
“Those born with privilege do far worse. They easily find test subjects and buy expensive magical tools without a second thought. But in my youth, despite greater talent, I always struggled.”
Jin found the words repulsive but feigned attentiveness.
“I too was uncomfortable with such things back then. But if someone had awakened me—told me I was worth more than the countless bugs in this world, that I could use them freely—”
Kidad’s hand gripping Jin’s shoulder trembled violently.
“The name Kidad Hall of Reflux would be far higher than it is now. Huwell, you don’t have to suffer losses like I did. You just need to accept the lessons I learned through failure.”
As Kidad rambled, Jin’s gaze dropped lower and lower.
Just as Jin had never seen Kidad like this, Kidad had never seen Jin so deflated. If he pushed a little more, Jin would surely relent.
That’s what Kidad thought.
“…Huwell, if it weren’t for me, you’d never have had the chance to blossom your talent. You’d have lived your life as a third-rate wizard, hiding in the shadows. Now that you’ve been entrusted with the Book of Reflux, show this master your resolve. If you can’t, I’ll expel you from the order right now.”
“E-Expel me?”
“This is that serious. Not just the bugs of Romp, but you’ll have to keep killing bugs to hone your skills. If you can’t accept that, I won’t raise you any longer.”
“…Please give me some time to think, Master.”
Kidad hid his smile and looked into Jin’s wavering eyes.
‘Right, it’s hard to accept all at once. But Huwell, once you start using the bugs, you’ll understand why the world divides geniuses from commoners.’
He truly believed this was for his disciple’s own good.
He had lived that way almost his entire life and had ultimately achieved the rank of 9th star. That harsh, binary path to growth was undeniably effective.
Jin finally bowed his head.
“I was foolish, Master. Honestly, it’s hard to accept right now, but I will trust your words and follow your lead.”
“Don’t tell me you’re lying out of fear of expulsion?”
“No. Without you, I’d have wasted away meaninglessly at the Meltador Magic Academy or been sold to Gipple and killed. I have no other path but to trust and follow you.”
“Hmph!”
A smart kid indeed. My instincts were right.
Kidad swallowed his words and ruffled Jin’s hair. Secretly, he’d been worried about how to persuade Jin if he refused.
“…I’ll watch over you. But a day like today must never happen again. If you want to inherit everything I’ve achieved through hell, you’re practically my other self, disciple.”
“Yes, Master. I will remember that.”
“Good… Tomorrow night, if you use the bugs skillfully without hesitation, I’ll reward you. My magic isn’t limited to reflux. From elemental magic to curses—I’ll teach you one each time you succeed.”
Curses.
The moment Jin heard that word, he almost lost his composure.
‘I don’t want to learn that from you, nor do I need it.’
And now, there was no need to wait any longer.
“Master, before tomorrow night, I have one request.”
“What is it?”
“Please demonstrate the advanced reflux magic on me.”
“Of course…”
“Directly on my body.”
Kidad hesitated, about to ask why, but Jin continued.
“I want to know which part of a normal human body is most effective to target for reflux. That way, I can grasp it as quickly as possible tomorrow night.”
“Ha ha ha…! That’s the spirit. Admirable! If you kill more than five, knights from the capital might come, so we might have to leave immediately. I hadn’t thought of that.”
Kiiing! Kiiing!
A sharp, piercing sound filled the air as reflux mana gathered in Kidad’s hand.
“I’ll show you right now. You’ll need time to recover before tomorrow night anyway. And as someone who wields reflux magic, you should feel its power firsthand.”
“Thank you.”
“You’ve seen the grimoire, so you know this spell is called Reflux Burst. It generates a gravitational pull that steals the target’s mana, causing reflux. It’s the spell you’ll be using from tomorrow.”
“Yes, I’ve been practicing it all this time while you were in Vankela.”
“Now, I’ll accelerate the rotation of the Reflux Burst and start drawing your mana—from your toes to your head. I’ll focus the power on each part, so concentrate and feel where it hurts the most.”
Jin took a few steps back and closed his eyes.
“Starting now!”
Kiiing! Kiiigigik!
Kidad’s Reflux Burst spun wildly.
Particles of mana began to flow out of Jin’s body, slowly being sucked into the vortex.
It looked as if a blue ribbon was streaming from Jin’s body, wrapping around the Reflux Burst.
‘No…!?’
Kidad’s face twisted in shock immediately.
‘I cast the Reflux Burst at the maximum 7th star level so Huwell would feel the pain clearly, but why is there no sign of reflux starting?’
Suddenly, Kidad’s eyes widened as cracks appeared in the spherical form of the Reflux Burst.
‘Could it be… Huwell’s mana far exceeds the 7th star? No, that can’t be. I’ll increase the power.’
Kaaang! Siiit!
As the Reflux Burst spun faster, the mana ribbon flowing from Jin thickened.
Kidad was already operating near the late 8th star level, yet Jin remained expressionless with his eyes closed.
Kidad realized something was wrong when the Reflux Burst began to grotesquely swell, unable to contain the infinite mana of the ‘Mirror’ within Jin.
Isophen Clam.
Since the first time Jin came here to meet Kidad, he had activated the Mirror’s trigger word.
For a moment like this.
Kazjuk! Puh-ong!
The Reflux Burst distorted and exploded. Kidad frantically tried to control his mana, but—
Even a 9th star wizard was still human. He couldn’t possibly handle the infinite mana of the Mirror. Like trying to block a waterfall with your palm.
The gravitational pull of the Reflux Burst absorbed both Kidad’s mana and the Mirror’s, causing uncontrollable reflux to spread inside Kidad’s body.
“Kidad Hall. You know better than anyone the terrible pain of reflux.”
“Ku, kuhk, kak!”
Blood poured from every orifice on Kidad’s face as he convulsed. Jin slowly stepped toward him.
“You must have forgotten me all this time…”
“Gahk, wha-what the hell…”
Kidad’s face was a bloody mess in an instant.
His eyes glazed over with shock, his legs trembling from the reflux pain. Collapsing to his knees, he barely managed to look up at Jin.
“Huw, Huwell, kaahk! You…”
“Do you remember the name of the infant who came to Stormhold fifteen years ago, trying to curse you, Kidad?”
“Y-you… ugh.”
“I am not Huwell Hister. I am Jin Runcandel.”
Shing…
From the sleeve of his robe, Jin drew a razor-sharp dagger.
He looked down at the man quietly, his mind drifting back over the miserable twenty-eight years of his past life—the hellish time wasted, unaware he was trapped by the madness of a cursed blade.
“It took me forty-four years to find out that Joshua had Tymeon Marius curse you.”
“Damn it… c-cough… no, please—”
“You had no chance to beg for mercy like you do now. Kidad, I was only one year old back then.”
As Jin’s dagger darkened with spiritual energy, Kidad convulsed, shaking his head violently. Blood splattered from his throat, staining the hem of Jin’s robe.
Slowly, Jin bent down and pulled the spellbook of Shuziel Hister from Kidad’s grasp.
“Your worthless eighty years could never repay my forty-four, but I’ll make good use of the Book of Reversal.”
“P-please… spare me… cough”
Thrust.
The black blade pierced Kidad’s heart. Blood foamed at his lips as he gasped his last breath. Death.
Leaving the limp body behind, Jin strode forward.
Then, swirling the dagger in his spiritual energy, he carved these words into the wall:
You will never die so easily — Jin Grey.
So that my elder brother, Joshua Runcandel, will recognize it without a doubt.